Slumber Music was not what I intended to write. When I sat down to compose the first movement, I had planned to take a melody and distort it, break it, and disrupt it. However, once the melody started to play out, I couldn’t bear to harm it. Instead of twist and mangle the melody, I…
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No. for violin and cello (2011)
This short duet was composed for the “Fifteen Minutes of Fame” opportunity that Zentripetal offered in February of 2011. When I began writing this piece, it was something different. As I was putting the finishing touches on that earlier version of the score, a “what if I…” hit me out of the blue. I cut…
Concerto for Timpani for percussion ensemble (2003)
The concerto takes the soloist on a circular journey through two connected contrasting movements. The first movement is slow and contemplative with no interaction between the soloist and ensemble. The ensemble is transformed throughout the movement by gradually swapping the pitched and non-pitched materials. The second movements rapid textures are initiated by the soloist and…
Throb for marimba duo (2006)
Throb is an improvisational piece inspired by the complex rhythmic figures which can emerge from simple steady pulses. The players are given a basic framework of how to perform the piece, sometimes coordinating with each other but, for the most part, they are off in their own rhythmic worlds. While the players are often uncoordinated…
false for percussion quartet (2010)
This work was written for the iKtus Percussion Quartet and they exercised enormous patience in waiting for false’s completion. I asked each performer to list the 4-6 smaller and more portable instruments that they enjoy playing. The players were not to coordinate their list with any other member in the quartet. I then too this…
to for hit with for percussion duo and electronics (2011)
This piece started with the scale made to highlight some of the quirky pitch omissions in the hammer dulcimer. After grooving on that scale pattern for a while, the piece breaks it down to reveal a more gentle harmonic underpinning. A long, slow marimba melody emerges with a few mbira punctuations. Finally, the scale erupts…
Elementals for euphonium, tuba, and fixed media (2009)
The piece is in four sections, each touching upon the four main elements: wind, fire, water, and earth. The pre-recorded part is largely ambient and the piece can be performed without it. My interest in mixing the four elements together lies mostly in the moments of transition from one element to another. I promise that…
Sonatiny II “Old wine in new bottles” for euphonium and piano (2011)
This is the second piece I’ve called a “sonatiny,” which is meant have an even smaller scope than a sonatina. There are two sections, the first is a slow and crunchy chorale that turns into a hypnotic and static segment before a brusque and punchy fast section. The subtitle of this work “old wine in…
Inventions for flute and clarinet (1995)
These three Inventions are short counterpoint pieces of contrasting characters. The first invention is full of long and slow sweeping gestures throughout both instruments. The second invention is playful and driven more by tune than by motive. Num- ber three is a series of variations and canons developing from the first few measures. Performed by…
Sonatina for clarinet and piano (1998)
The three movements are brief and follow a traditional fast-slow-fast pattern. The first movement is bold and forceful with a strong processional rhythm. The middle movement is a set of variations on a melody that might very be the best melody I’ve ever composed. The final movement is playful and peppy. This piece was salvaged…